An entertainment blog that was started in 2006, ignored from 2009 to 2011 due to work commitments & the advent of social media. Is back on line as of Jan. 22, 2012.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Most memorable boner

Been thinking a lot about baseball history this week. It started at the CNE when one of our volunteers (remember he is choosing to volunteer FOR A SPORTS NETWORK!) was shocked to find out that Babe Ruth was a pitcher. Based on this, I told him maybe he should look into getting into other medias other than sports. Yes, this may have been harsh, but to be honest, he is a bit of a dick anyway. I just think anyone with an interest in sports should be aware that the game's greatest player was originally a pitcher. I am sorry, just as no one can be considered a movie fan unless they have seen Godfather Part 1 and 2 (Coglero's theory, not mine), no one can be considered a sports fan who does not know Babe Ruth was originally a pitcher.

Top 5 Reasons why Babe Ruth is the greatest player in the history of Baseball.

1. He has the third most home runs in the history of the game with 714.2. As a pitcher he has the fourth lowest career World Series ERA with 0.87 AND has pitched 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings in the World Series.3. In the 1920 season, he personally hit more home runs (54) than any other TEAM in the Majors other than the Philadelphia Phillies (64).4. When he was sold to the Yankees from the Red Sox 1918, the Red Sox would not win another World Series until 2004. It was called the Curse of The Bambino.5. Ruth singlehandedly saved the sport of baseball after the The Black Sox scandal. After the White Sox almost ruined baseball by agreeing to throw the 1919 World Series. Attendance and interest in the sport went downhill. Ruth reaching legendary status as a home run hitter for the Yankees brought attendance and interest back to the Majors.

So J-Mac has recently been trolling on E-Bay for old baseball pictures. The one she recently tried to purchase was a picture of the umpire's debating on the field after the famed Merkle's Boner. One of the biggest mistakes made by a player in the history of the game.

If you are not aware of this, it occured in 1908. He is best remembered for a baserunning error, which led to one of baseball's greatest controversies, while playing for the Giants in a game against the Chicago Cubs at New York's Polo Grounds.

With the score tied in the bottom of the 9th inning, with two outs, and Moose McCormick on first base, Merkle singled, advancing McCormick to third base. The next batter, Al Bridwell, also singled, apparently allowing McCormick to score and ending the game as a victory for the Giants.

However, Cubs second baseman Johnny Evers noticed that Merkle, thinking the game was over, walked to the Giants' clubhouse without touching second base. Evers shouted for the ball, touched second, and appealed to umpire Hank O'Day to call Merkle out. By the strict letter of baseball rules, Merkle's not touching second meant that when Evers did, Merkle was out on a force play, and that McCormick's run did not count.

What Merkle had done was actually common practice at the time for players in games ending in that fashion. In previous similar situations, there had been other appeals to umpires from the losing side to apply the rules strictly against the winning team, declare the negligent baserunner out, and thus nullify the would-be winning run. Those previous appeals were denied, including, ironically, an occasion earlier in that same season between Evers and O'Day. On that previous occasion, O'Day called the runner safe. But this time, perhaps being more prepared after the previous incident and with the magnitude of the situation, O'Day enforced the letter of the law upon Merkle and the Giants.

For his part, Merkle maintained until his death in 1956 that he had only started to walk off the field without touching second base, but that he had realized his error, turned around, and touched second after all. The umpires did not see it that way, however, and ruled him out.

With the run nullified, the Giants' victory was erased and the score of the game remained tied. However, the game could not be continued because by the time that ruling was made, there were thousands of fans on the field. Consequently, the umpire ruled the game a tie. When the Cubs and Giants finished the season tied, the game was replayed. The Cubs won this makeup game and thus the National League pennant.

To this day, this play is referred to as Merkle's boner. Personally, I think Mitch Williams throwing Joe Carter a fastball when Carter was clearly not able to touch his slider in the 9th inning of game 6 of the 1993 World Series was a bigger error, but what do I know.